Wheel element for toy building set

ABSTRACT

A wheel element for a toy building set has a substantially flat body from whose one face projects a plurality of equispaced parallel pins arranged in a plurality of mutually orthogonal rows and spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the pin diameter. The body has a circular periphery formed with an edge channel that acts as a seat for a tire ring. This ring is able to slide in the channel for use of the body as a wheel or the body can be constituted of two mutually rotatable members, one formed with the seat and one adapted to be anchored to some structure. It is also possible to provide both members with axially projecting oppositely directed connecting pins to allow the wheel to be used as a bearing between two structures. To this end the member carrying the tire can be formed of a pair of disks, one of which is annular and is provided with connecting pins over all of one face.

United States Patent Heubl 1 Jan. 30, 1973 [54] WHEEL ELEMENT FOR TOY BUILDING SET Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene A E J. L [76] Inventor: Walter ileubl, Munchner Str. 41, jfif igs gf ever 8852 Rain am Lech, Germany [22] Filed: May 3, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT Appl. No.: 139,574

Related U.S. Application Data A wheel element for a toy building set has a substantially flat body from whose one face projects a plurality of equispaced parallel pins arranged in a plurality of mutually orthogonal rows and spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the pin diameter. The body has a circular periphery formed with an edge channel that acts as a seat for a tire ring. This ring is able to slide in the channel for use of the body as a wheel or the body can be constituted of two mutually rotatable members, one formed with the seat and one adapted to be anchored to some structure. It is also possible to provide both members with axially projecting oppositely directed connecting pins to allow the wheel to be used as a bearing between two structures. To this end the member carrying the tire can be formed of a pair of disks, one of which is annular and is provided with connecting pins over all of one face.

14 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTEU JAN 30 I973 Walfer Heubl INVENTOR.

S Rm Attorney WHEEL ELEMENT FOR TOY BUILDING SET CROSS REFERENCE TO COPENDING APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 764,376 filed on 30 Sept. 1968, now US. Pat. No. 3,603,025 of 7 Sept. 1971.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to structural elements for toys which are built up from a number of such structural elements, particularly structural elements made of synthetic-resin material and especially a wheel element for such toys.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Structural elements for the aforestated purpose may consist of a core element with connecting elements located on at least one outer side. These connecting elements are capable of engaging with the connecting elements of other structural elements so as to form an interlocking, frictional connection.

Many types of such structural elements are known. They usually have a basic shape which enables them to be assembled together to form larger structures, for example the basic shape may be that ofa cube, a square, a segment of a circle or the like, some of the outer surfaces of the structural elements having suitable connecting means enabling a number of structural elements to be combined together, usually by snap engagement.

In one of these prior-art elements, hump-like protuberances and recesses located therebetween are so provided that they co-operate with portions of complementary shape of the other structural element so as to allow two structural elements to be connected together by snap engagement.

In another known prior-art arrangement small cylindrical projections are arranged in groups on a face of the element. These projections are engageable as groups in recesses of other structural elements or between similar groups on a similarly formed element, with inward deflection of all members of each group on coupling.

A drawback of such elements is that one is limited to strictly geometrically regular and static structures. The advantages of the modular building sets of the so-called erector-set type wherein structures with movable parts can be built are generally impossible to attain.

Another drawback of such elements is that they engage each other too tightly when new and too loosely after much use since deflection of the projections is relied upon for mating engagement between elements.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention accordingly consists in eliminating the difficulties associated with the known structural elements and in providing new improved structural elements which can easily be assembled together and easily separated from each other so that they can be connected together in a wide variety of ways and orientations. v

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved wheel element for toy-construction sets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above object is attained according to the present invention by a structural element for toys and the like comprising a body having a flat face provided with an array of uniform cross-section individual projections each extending perpendicularly from the face and fixed to the body, and a substantially circular ring rotatable relative to the array and received in a seat formed in the circular outer periphery of the body. The projections are equispaced from one another by a distance enabling the space between neighboring projections to snugly receive a projection on a structural element having a similarly spaced array. In addition, the ring projects outwardly beyond the body all around the periphery, so that the body need not necessarily be circular so long as the ring projects radially beyond its periphery.

The invention also resides in a structural element which has the form of an annular disk provided on one face with an array as described above, with the projections arranged in mutually orthogonal rows. This disk can constitute one member of a two-member body one of whose members is annular as described immediately above and bears the ring and the other of which is formed with the first-mentioned array of projections. This element can be used as a wheel, with the ring serving as tire, and as a bearing between two structures. One of the members is therefore journaled in the other to permit mutual relation.

According to other features of this invention, the ring and/or the body may be made of some very low friction or relatively friction-free material such that the ring simply slides in the peripheral channel acting as a seat around the bodys periphery.

With the two-member body, the one member is as mentioned above journaled in the other. This is made possible by a pair of axially extending mutually interengageable sleeves, the outer of which rotatably receives the inner. A retaining element snugly engages in the inner sleeve and extends through the outer sleeve to prevent axial disengagement of the two members. This retaining element is fashioned as a nail or screw, with a head radially overlapping one of the members and a shaft fitted into the central bore of the other.

In accordance with yet another feature of this invention, the body can be formed (beveled) of a pair of halves which are each shaped as disks with a frustoconically formed outer edge. The two disks are fitted flatly together with the aid of interlocking pins and recesses and with the two frustoconical edges forming a V-section channel that acts as the ring seat. One disk can be provided with an array of axially extending projections if the ring is adapted to slip, as described above. Alternatively, the two disks can constitute one of the members of the body which is rotatable relative to the other member. In this latter case, one disk is formed with a central bore and a central axially projecting sleeve and the other is formed with a central bore of larger diameter than the first-mentioned central bore. The larger-diameter bore corresponds to the diameter of the retaining elements head and the smaller-diameter central bore, which extends axially through the sleeves, is slightly smaller than the diameter of the shaft of the retaining element to snugly engage it.

Whereas in the case of prior-art arrangements for each smallest structural element only one connecting element customarily engages another structural element, in the system of the present invention a plurality of pin-like prongs engage in one another in the manner of the bristles of brushes which have been forced together. This enables a much wider variety of connections to be realized between any two structural elements.

According to the invention, it is possible to construct any three-dimensional models with the simplest structural elements. The particular advantage of the invention resides in the psychological effect on young children who are not yet able to construct models on the basis of instructions. Owing to the simple mode of connecting together the individual structural elements, the imagination of the children is stimulated to a remarkable extent, so that the children are able to construct life-like, imaginative or abstract models by themselves. In this way, the creative instincts of the children are developed to a remarkable degree.

The elements, according to the invention, may comprise core elements of any desired shape. In practice, it has been found that structural elements with square, rectangular, and circular basic shapes have proved most suitable. Rotary elements such as wheels, bearings and the like may also be constructed within the context of the invention, if at least one of a number of structural parts which are to be arranged to rotate relative to one another are provided with the pin-like prongs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Further features and details of the invention are apparent from the drawing. In the drawing, the invention is illustrated diagrammatically. In the drawing:

FIGS. 1 to 5 are axial sectional views through individual parts used for assembling a wheel-like structural element;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section through the elements shown in FIGS. 1 to 5;

FIG. 6-A is a sectional detail view of an alternative embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 7 to 9 are axial sectional views through parts of another wheel arrangement;

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal section through the assembled wheel arrangement shown in FIGS. 7 to 9;

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal section through a further modification of a wheel-like structural element; and

FIG. 12 is an elevational view taken in the direction of arrow XII of FIG. 6.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION In the embodiments shown, the structural elements consist of synthetic-resin material, so that the pin-like prongs 2 form an integral part of the core element 1. The pin-like prongs 2 are preferably resilient and arranged sufficiently close to one another so that when two or three core elements 1 are connected together the oppositely directed pin-like prongs 2 engage in one another in an interlocking, frictional connection. This means that the core elements 1 can be connected to one another in such manner that they lie in alignment (registration) with one another or alternatively out of alignment with respect to each other, the assumption being made that a sufficient number of these pin-like prongs 2 engage with one another in firm-gripping, frictional and interlocking connection.

The pin-like prongs 2 are so offset, with regard to opposite-lying surfaces of the same structural element 1, that the position of a pin-like prong on one side corresponds to a gap defined between the pin-like prongs 2 located on the other side 1. This arrangement makes it possible to attach together structural elements 1 which are of the same size, so that they are in mutual alignment. The pin-like prongs 2 have for example a length of about 5mm, a diameter of 2mm and a distance between the axes of adjacent prongs of about 2.75mm.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 12 shows different ways in which the structural element according to the invention can be assembled together to form wheels or other parts of rotatable assemblies.

The assembly of structural elements shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 comprises an end disc 24 and an intermediate disc 25 on whose periphery a guide 22 is provided which is intended to receive a ring 23 which resembles a tire. These guides 22 consist of tapered or bevelled surfaces of the peripheral edge of the individual parts. The end disc 24 can be connected by means of pins 31 and an adhesive, if necessary, to the intermediate disc 25 which has bores 32 which are of complementary shape to the pins 31 so that the tire-like ring 23 will be securely engaged between these two discs 24 and 25. The hub 27 provided on the intermediate disc 25 can then rotatably engage the connecting stud 28 of the other end disc 26 so as to form a rotatable connection between the two parts. A plug or retaining element 30 is introduced from the side of the end disc 24 and through the hub 27 into the bore 29 of the other end disc 26 for the purpose of axially securing the assembly of relatively rotatable parts which has thus been formed, a securely gripping connection being realized by the use of appropriate dimensions for the interlocking parts.

In FIG. 6-A, the element 30' is formed with a ball end 300 which is received in a correspondingly widened portion 29a of the bore 29. In this manner the element 30 snaps into the bore 29' and is axially fixed therein.

FIGS. 6 and 12 show a wheel assembly of this kind in the assembled condition. It is clear from this Figure that an intermediate space is defined between the end disc 26 and the intermediate disc 25, this intermediate space being determined by the length of the hub 27. It is naturally possible to arrange for this intermediate space to be wider or narrower according to the shape required for the toy. In any case it is now possible to attach to the end disc 24, 26 of this wheel assembly other structural elements which may be of any desired shape and which are equipped with prongs 2, so that the assembly of structural elements shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 may be used for example as a wheel for a toy vehicle, a slewing track ring for a toy crane, as a bearing for part of a toy windmill, or the like. The possibilities of practical application are so numerous that it is impossible to indicate them'all by the embodiments which are shown and described.

In the other embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 to 10 the assembly, as shown .in FIGS. 1 to 6 and FIG. 12 and realized by means of hub-connecting studs 27, 28, is dispensed with. The end discs 24, 26, together with their guides 22, are so constructed that, when these two end discs are securely interlocked one with the other, their seat 22 forms a sliding fit for the tire-like ring 23 located between these end discs 24, 26. Thus, the ring 23 can rotate in its guide 22. in this way it is possible to restrict the assembly of structural elements for a wheel to three parts. In this connection, the assumption is of course made that the tire-like ring 23 consists of a material which is comparatively rigid and which consists of a dimensionally stable material, for example polystyrene, polyamide, or the like, and that the friction between this ring 23 and the guide 22 will be relatively small. It is also possible in this case to use connecting pins 31 and bores 32 of complementary shape for connecting together the end discs 24, 26. Conveniently, each of these end discs 24, 26 can be provided with mutually orthogonal rows of prongs 2 which enable it to be fixed to other structural elements. If it is desired to construct a wheel in such manner that one of its side faces is without the connecting prongs, as shown, then one of the end discs 24, 26 will be arranged to be without prongs in a corresponding manner.

The embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 11 is an assembly of structural elements for forming a wheel in which the tire-like ring 23 consists of a resilient material, for example rubber, polyethylene, or soft PVC, so that this ring 23 can be drawn over its guide 22 by expanding it. For this reason, it is also possible to utilize a single-part guide disc 33 which can be connected to an end disc 26 by means of a plug 30 shown in H68. 1 to 6; in this embodiment also the rotational connection is realized by means of a mounting formed by the hub 27 and the connecting stud 28.

I claim:

1. A structural element for toys and the like comprising a body having a major flat face provided with an array of uniform cross-section individual projections each extending perpendicular from said face and fixed to said body, said body comprising a pair of disks having beveled edges defining a circular peripheral channel, and means interconnecting said disks along mutually confronting flat faces thereof, and a substantially circular ring rotatable relative to said array and received in said channel, said projections being equispaced from one another by a distance enabling the space between neighboring projections to receive a projection on a structural element having a similar array, said ring projecting outwardly beyond said body all around its periphery.

2. The structural element defined in claim 1 wherein said ring has a low coefficient of friction and is slidable in said channel.

3. The structural element defined in claim 1 wherein said body is constituted by a pair of mutually rotatable members, one of said members having said major face and the other of said members carrying said ring.

4. The structural element defined in claim 3 wherein said one member is formed with an axially extending projection rotatably received in said other member.

5. The structural element defined in claim 4 wherein said other member is formed with an axially extending sleeve receiving said projection.

6. The structural element defined in claim 5 wherein said projection is formed with an axial bore, said structural element further comprising a retaining element snugly engageable in said bore and axially engageable against said other member.

7. The structural element defined in claim 6 wherein said other member is also formed with a central axial bore registering with said first-mentioned bore, said retaining element engageable in both of said bores and having a head of larger diameter than said bores.

8. A structural element for toys and the like comprising a body having a major flat face provided with an array of uniform cross-section individual projections each extending perpendicularly from said face and fixed to said body, and a substantially circular ring rotatable relative to said array, said projections being equispaced from one another by a distance enabling the space between neighboring projections to receive a projection on a structural element having a similar array, said body having a substantially circular outer periphery formed with a seat receiving said ring with said ring projecting outwardly beyond said body all around said periphery, said body being formed at its edge with an outwardly open channel constituting said seat, said ring having a low coefficient of friction and being slidable in said channel, said body comprising a pair of circular similar disks each formed with a frustoconically bevelled edge, said disks being attached flatly together.

9. The structural element defined in claim 8 wherein said body comprises a member rotatable relatively to said disks and having said face.

10. The structural element defined in claim 9 wherein said member is formed with an axially extending projection rotatably received in one of said disks.

11. The structural element defined in claim 10 wherein said one of said disks is formed with an axially extending sleeve receiving said projection.

12. The structural element defined in claim 11 wherein said projection is formed with an axial bore, said structural element further comprising a retaining element snugly engageable in said bore and axially engageable against said other member.

13. The structural element defined in claim 12 wherein said other member is also formed with a central axial bore registering with said first-mentioned bore, said retaining element engageable in both of said bores and having a head of larger diameter than said bores.

14. A structural element for toys and the like comprising a generally flat annular body having a major face and a plurality of mutually orthogonal rows of uniform cross-section individual projections each extending perpendicularly, directly from said face and fixed thereto, said projections substantially completely covering said surface within the outline thereof and forming an array, each of said projections being substantially cylindrical and of a length exceeding the diameter thereof, said projections being equispaced from one another by a distance enabling the space between a pair of neighboring projections in each of two neighboring rows to frictionally receive. a similar projection on another structural element having a similar array, said body comprising a pair of circular similar disks each formed with a frustoconically bevelled edge, said disks being attached flatly together with said bevelled edges defining a channel, and a ringshaped tire received in said channel. 

1. A structural element for toys and the like comprising a body having a major flat face provided with an array of uniform crosssection individual projections each extending perpendicular from said face and fixed to said body, said body comprising a pair of disks having beveled edges defining a circular peripheral channel, and means interconnecting said disks along mutually confronting flat faces thereof, and a substantially circular ring rotatable relative to said array and received in said channel, said projections being equispaced from one another by a distance enabling the space between neighboring projections to receive a projection on a structural element having a similar array, said ring projecting outwardly beyond said body all around its periphery.
 1. A structural element for toys and the like comprising a body having a major flat face provided with an array of uniform cross-section individual projections each extending perpendicular from said face and fixed to said body, said body comprising a pair of disks having beveled edges defining a circular peripheral channel, and means interconnecting said disks along mutually confronting flat faces thereof, and a substantially circular ring rotatable relative to said array and received in said channel, said projections being equispaced from one another by a distance enabling the space between neighboring projections to receive a projection on a structural element having a similar array, said ring projecting outwardly beyond said body all around its periphery.
 2. The structural element defined in claim 1 wherein said ring has a low coefficient of friction and is slidable in said channel.
 3. The structural element defined in claim 1 wherein said body is constituted by a pair of mutually rotatable members, one of said members having said major face and the other of said members carrying said ring.
 4. The structural element defined in claim 3 wherein said one member is formed with an axially extending projection rotatably received in said other member.
 5. The structural element defined in claim 4 wherein said other member is formed with an axially extending sleeve receiving said projection.
 6. The structural element defined in claim 5 wherein said projection is formed with an axial bore, said structural element further comprising a retaining element snugly engageable in said bore and axially engageable against said other member.
 7. The structural element defined in claim 6 wherein said other member is also formed with a central axial bore registering with said first-mentioned bore, said retaining element engageable in both of said bores and having a head of larger diameter than said bores.
 8. A structural element for toys and the like comprising a body having a major flat face provided with an array of uniform cross-section individual projections each extending perpendicularly from said face and fixed to said body, and a substantially circular ring rotatable relative to said array, said projections being equispaced from one another by a distance enabling the space between neighboring projections to receive a projection on a structural element having a similar array, said body having a substantially circular outer periphery formed with a seat receiving said ring with said ring projecting outwardly beyond said body all around said periphery, said body being formed at its edge with an outwardly open channel constituting said seat, said ring having a low coefficient of friction and being slidable in said channel, said body comprising a pair of circular similar disks each formed with a frustoconically bevelled edge, said disks being attached flatly together.
 9. The structural element defined in claim 8 wherein said body comprises a member rotatable relatively to said disks and having said face.
 10. The structural element defined in claim 9 wherein said member is formed with an axially extending projection rotatably received in one of said disks.
 11. The structural element defined in claim 10 wherein said one of said disks is formed with an axially extending sleeve receiving said projection.
 12. The structural element defined in claim 11 wherein said projection is formed with an axial bore, said structural element further comprising a retaining element snugly engageable in said bore and axially engageable against said other member.
 13. The structural element defined in claim 12 wherein said other member is also formed with a central axial bore registering with said first-mentioned bore, said retaining element engageable in both of said bores and having a head of larger diameter than said bores. 